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Conference

Smart Fabrication

AI-Driven Throughput & Operational Predictability: Transform Chaos into Clarity

  • Date

  • Time

  • Experience Level

    Basic, Intermediate

  • Location

    N223-224

Overview

Presentations

"One More Truck Out the Door—Every Day: How AI Turns Operational Chaos Into Predictable Capacity"

Basic 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm

Most mid-sized fabricators are trapped in a cycle of heroic effort: six-week lead times, three-day quoting delays, and skilled operators wasting 30% of their shift hunting for drawings or reacting to schedule changes. This isn’t a labor problem—it’s a coordination tax. This session deconstructs a realistic transformation where a typical shop deployed agentic AI to turn that chaos into a “One More Truck Out the Door—Every Day” reality. We move past AI hype to show how digital agents automate the invisible work—cutting quoting to same-day turnarounds, stabilizing schedules despite rush jobs, and pushing real-time, error-free instructions to tablets on the floor. Attendees will see how to bridge the gap between ERP and the shop floor to cut lead times in half and boost on-time delivery without buying new machines, and they’ll leave with a pragmatic 90-day “Pilot-to-Profit” checklist to target their highest-impact bottlenecks.

From Firefighting to Savings: How Targeted AI Turns Everyday Shop Data into Cost Reduction

Intermediate 1:45 pm - 2:30 pm

This session shows how a typical fab shop can use AI and machine learning to reduce lead time, overtime,and schedule chaos using the data it already has—job histories, routings, timestamps, and a handful ofquality metrics. We walk through a realistic composite case study where AI models learn from past jobs togenerate faster, more accurate quotes, power dynamic scheduling that absorbs rush orders with fewerdisruptions, and provide early-warning signals when quality or throughput start to drift. The presentationexplains in plain language how these models are trained and deployed on top of existing ERP/MES systems,and how outcomes are tracked in terms of lead time, on-time delivery, rework, and overtime percentage.Attendees will leave with a clear view of which AI/ML strategies actually pay for themselves in under 12months and a simple blueprint for scoping a 90-day, low-risk pilot in their own operations

About the Speakers

  • Dr Sudesh Kannan

    University of Maryland Global Campus

    Biography

    Dr. Sudesh “Dr. K” Kannan CISSP, AIGP is a manufacturing and foundry consultant with over 30 years’ experience helping metalcasters and industrial firms improve yield, cut scrap, and accelerate new product development. A PhD metallurgist, AFS Certified Instructor, and cybersecurity/AI specialist, he translates advanced analytics into practical shop-floor improvements and measurable financial results for plants worldwide.

    More Details about Dr Sudesh

  • Ramu Sunkara

    Zenera AI

    Biography

    As Co-founder of Zenera, I empower enterprise apps with superhuman capabilities—no rewrite required. We turn natural language into complex, reliable workflows. I previously co-founded Qik (#1 video app globally, acquired by Skype) and helped launch UW–Madison’s College of Computing and AI. My mission at FABTECH? Helping industrial leaders transform legacy systems into AI-driven powerhouses to achieve 100X ROI.

    More Details about Ramu

Pricing & Registration

Sessions Member Price Non-Member Price
Individual Sessions $195 $220
Workshops $499 $599
Best ValueFull Conference
(5-10 Sessions)
$795 $900

Sessions Member Price Non-Member Price
1 Session $112.50 $125
2 Sessions $202.50 $225
3 Sessions $270 $300
4-8 Sessions $405 $450

Sessions Members Non-members*
Half-Day Workshops (W4, W11) FREE FREE
One-Hour Sessions (W12, W13, W14, W18) FREE FREE
Two-Hour Sessions (W16, W17) $50 $75
Weld-Ed Conference (W5) $50 $75
Half-Day Sessions (W2, W3, W7, W10) $345 $430
Half-Day SPARKS AND STEEL (W8) $250 $250
Full-Day Sessions (W6, W9)* $565 $665
Two-Day Session (W1) $795 $895
Professional Program (W15) $395 $495

* Non-member price for AWS Welding Full-Day Sessions includes a one-year AWS Individual Membership.

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